Patents by Inventor David Francis Tapuska

David Francis Tapuska has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 10042680
    Abstract: An electronic device may maintain separate OS domains associated with security permissions. The OS domain may implement separate corresponding clipboard services. A clipboard agent or clipboard mediator service may receive a clipboard data request from a first application. The clipboard agent may determine which OS domain has most recently processed a store command associated with storing data in a corresponding clipboard service of the OS domain. The clipboard agent associated with the OS domain that most recently stored content may determine whether to send the data from the corresponding clipboard service based at least in part on permissions associated with the OS domain. Security of the clipboard access may be enforced on a per domain basis. Access to clipboard content may be mediated at the time of the request without a need to share data prior to the request.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2018
    Assignees: BlackBerry Limited, 2236008 Ontario Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel Jonas Major, Ian David Peters, Glenn Daniel Wurster, David Francis Tapuska
  • Patent number: 9594916
    Abstract: A method and devices for providing secure data backup from a mobile communication device to an external computing device is described. In one embodiment, there is provided a method of backing up data from a mobile communication device, the method comprising: receiving from an enterprise server an information technology (IT) policy message which includes an encryption key; storing the encryption key in a protected memory of the mobile communication device; receiving a request to backup data stored on the mobile communication device; encrypting the data using the encryption key stored in the protected memory; and transferring the encrypted data from the mobile communication device to an electronic device for storage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2017
    Assignee: BlackBerry Limited
    Inventors: Michael Kenneth Brown, Andrew Douglas Bocking, Scott William Totzke, David Francis Tapuska, Ronald Scotte Zinn, Maxime Matton, Michael Thomas Hardy, George Dos Santos, Christopher James Runstedler
  • Patent number: 9544148
    Abstract: A method of sending a self-signed certificate from a communication device, the self-signed certificate being signed by the communication device. The method includes: receiving a communication in relation to establishing a session from a second communication device in proximity to said communication device, outputting on an output device of said communication device a certificate hash of the self-signed certificate or an address of where to obtain the certificate hash, and sending the self-signed certificate to said second communication device. The method may also include sending a broadcast message to announce a presence of the communication device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2017
    Assignee: BlackBerry Limited
    Inventors: Michael Stephen Brown, David Francis Tapuska
  • Patent number: 9542245
    Abstract: A method and computing device are provided for processing user events received via a user interface, such as a touchscreen, in multiple threads. When a user event is received for a target element in a webpage, the user event is dispatched to both a main browser thread and a secondary thread. The secondary thread processes user events in accordance with established default actions defined within the browser, while the main thread processes the user events in accordance with any event handlers defined for that target element. The main thread processing may be delayed by other interleaved task, and the secondary thread may be given priority over the main thread. When the secondary thread completes processing, an updated webpage is displayed. When the main thread subsequently completes processing, its updated rendering of the webpage is displayed. The secondary thread thus provides an early user interface response to the user event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2017
    Assignee: BlackBerry Limited
    Inventors: Adam Chester Treat, Eli Joshua Fidler, Karl Arvid Nilsson, David Francis Tapuska, Genevieve Elizabeth Mak
  • Publication number: 20160366570
    Abstract: An electronic communication device includes a buffer and a controller. The buffer stores characters as they are being input by a user. The controller transmits the stored characters over a network when the number of characters stored exceeds a threshold. The controller also dynamically adjusts the threshold time period.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2016
    Publication date: December 15, 2016
    Inventors: Ian M. Robertson, David Francis Tapuska
  • Patent number: 9419806
    Abstract: A device certificate binds an identity of a first device to a public key of the first device. The first device comprises a certificate authority service that creates for a process on the first device a process certificate certifying one or more capabilities of the process on the first device. The process certificate is presented to the second device. Upon validating the process certificate using the device certificate, the second device permits the process on the first device to have on the second device one or more of the verified certified capabilities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2016
    Assignee: BlackBerry Limited
    Inventors: Michael Stephen Brown, David Francis Tapuska
  • Patent number: 9313033
    Abstract: A first device with a changing identity establishes a secure connection with a second device in a network by acting as its own certificate authority. The first device issues itself a self-signed root certificate that binds an identity of the first device to a long-term public key of the first device. The root certificate is digitally signed using a long-term private key, where the long-term public key and the long-term private key form a public/private key pair. The first device provides its root certificate to the second device in any trusted manner. The first device can then create a certificate for one or more short-term identities acquired by the first device and sign the newly-created certificate using the long-term private key. The first device can authenticate itself to the second device by sending the newly-created certificate to the second device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2016
    Assignee: BLACKBERRY LIMITED
    Inventors: Michael Stephen Brown, David Francis Tapuska
  • Patent number: 9300655
    Abstract: A system, methods and devices for the secure notification of an identity in a communications network. The methods include sending or receiving a communication including a hash of a certificate of a device to notify or detect the presence of the device in a network. Each certificate is associated with an identity which is excluded from the communication of the hash of the certificate. The received hash is compared to hashes of certificates stored in an electronic device to determine an identity. The identity may represent an electronic device or a user of the electronic device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2016
    Assignee: BlackBerry Limited
    Inventors: Michael Stephen Brown, David Francis Tapuska
  • Publication number: 20160055040
    Abstract: A method and computing device are provided for processing user events received via a user interface, such as a touchscreen, in multiple threads. When a user event is received for a target element in a webpage, the user event is dispatched to both a main browser thread and a secondary thread. The secondary thread processes user events in accordance with established default actions defined within the browser, while the main thread processes the user events in accordance with any event handlers defined for that target element. The main thread processing may be delayed by other interleaved task, and the secondary thread may be given priority over the main thread. When the secondary thread completes processing, an updated webpage is displayed. When the main thread subsequently completes processing, its updated rendering of the webpage is displayed. The secondary thread thus provides an early user interface response to the user event.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 26, 2015
    Publication date: February 25, 2016
    Applicant: BlackBerry Limited
    Inventors: Adam Chester TREAT, Eli Joshua FIDLER, Karl Arvid NILSSON, David Francis TAPUSKA, Genevieve Elizabeth MAK
  • Publication number: 20160019104
    Abstract: An electronic device may maintain separate OS domains associated with security permissions. The OS domain may implement separate corresponding clipboard services. A clipboard agent or clipboard mediator service may receive a clipboard data request from a first application. The clipboard agent may determine which OS domain has most recently processed a store command associated with storing data in a corresponding clipboard service of the OS domain. The clipboard agent associated with the OS domain that most recently stored content may determine whether to send the data from the corresponding clipboard service based at least in part on permissions associated with the OS domain. Security of the clipboard access may be enforced on a per domain basis. Access to clipboard content may be mediated at the time of the request without a need to share data prior to the request.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 17, 2014
    Publication date: January 21, 2016
    Inventors: Daniel Jonas Major, Ian David Peters, Glenn Daniel Wurster, David Francis Tapuska
  • Patent number: 9215238
    Abstract: A method of handling cryptographic information in a communication comprising body elements and attachment elements to a mobile device includes the steps of determining if the communication includes an attachment element comprising cryptographic information and converting the attachment element into a body element upon determining that the communication includes an attachment element comprising cryptographic information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2015
    Assignee: BlackBerry Limited
    Inventors: Herbert Anthony Little, Albert Hecht-Enns, David Francis Tapuska, Michael Stephen Brown, Michael Grant Kirkup
  • Patent number: 9170861
    Abstract: A method and computing device are provided for processing user events received via a user interface, such as a touchscreen, in multiple threads. When a user event is received for a target element in a webpage, the user event is dispatched to both a main browser thread and a secondary thread. The secondary thread processes user events in accordance with established default actions defined within the browser, while the main thread processes the user events in accordance with any event handlers defined for that target element. The main thread processing may be delayed by other interleaved task, and the secondary thread may be given priority over the main thread. When the secondary thread completes processing, an updated webpage is displayed. When the main thread subsequently completes processing, its updated rendering of the webpage is displayed. The secondary thread thus provides an early user interface response to the user event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2015
    Assignee: BLACKBERRY LIMITED
    Inventors: Adam Chester Treat, Eli Joshua Fidler, Karl Arvid Nilsson, David Francis Tapuska, Genevieve Elizabeth Mak
  • Publication number: 20150248562
    Abstract: A method and devices for providing secure data backup from a mobile communication device to an external computing device is described. In one embodiment, there is provided a method of backing up data from a mobile communication device, the method comprising: receiving from an enterprise server an information technology (IT) policy message which includes an encryption key; storing the encryption key in a protected memory of the mobile communication device; receiving a request to backup data stored on the mobile communication device; encrypting the data using the encryption key stored in the protected memory; and transferring the encrypted data from the mobile communication device to an electronic device for storage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 15, 2015
    Publication date: September 3, 2015
    Applicant: BlackBerry Limited
    Inventors: Michael Kenneth Brown, Andrew Douglas Bocking, Scott William Totzke, David Francis Tapuska, Ronald Scotte Zinn, Maxine Matton, Michael Thomas Hardy, George Dos Santos, Christopher James Runstedler
  • Publication number: 20150236860
    Abstract: A device certificate binds an identity of a first device to a public key of the first device. The first device comprises a certificate authority service that creates for a process on the first device a process certificate certifying one or more capabilities of the process on the first device. The process certificate is presented to the second device. Upon validating the process certificate using the device certificate, the second device permits the process on the first device to have on the second device one or more of the verified certified capabilities.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 4, 2015
    Publication date: August 20, 2015
    Applicant: BlackBerry Limited
    Inventors: Michael Stephen Brown, David Francis Tapuska
  • Patent number: 9077524
    Abstract: A system and method for providing an indication of randomness quality of random number data generated by a random data service. The random data service may provide random number data to one or more applications adapted to generate key pairs used in code signing applications, for example. In one aspect, the method comprises the steps of: retrieving random number data from the random data service; applying one or more randomness tests to the retrieved random number data to compute at least one indicator of the randomness quality of the random number data; associating the at least one indicator with at least one state represented by a color; and displaying the color associated with the at least one indicator to a user. The color may be displayed in a traffic light icon, for example.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2015
    Assignee: BlackBerry Limited
    Inventors: Neil Patrick Adams, Herbert Anthony Little, Michal Andrzej Rybak, Michael Grant Kirkup, David Francis Tapuska
  • Patent number: 9053330
    Abstract: A method and devices for providing secure data backup from a mobile communication device to an external computing device is described. In one embodiment, there is provided a method of backing up data from a mobile communication device to an external computing device, the mobile communication device being in communication with the external computing device, the method includes: receiving a request to backup one or more data items stored on the mobile communication device; encrypting a data item using an encryption key stored in a protected memory of the mobile communication device; and transferring the encrypted data item to the external computing device for storage by the external computing device. A method of restoring backup data to a mobile communication device from an external computing device is also provided, as are mobile communication devices and computing devices configured for implementing the backup and restore operations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2015
    Assignee: BlackBerry Limited
    Inventors: Michael Kenneth Brown, Andrew Douglas Bocking, Scott William Totzke, David Francis Tapuska, Ronald Scotte Zinn, Maxime Matton, Michael Thomas Hardy, George Dos Santos, Christopher James Runstedler
  • Patent number: 9026789
    Abstract: A device certificate binds an identity of a first device to a public key of the first device. The first device comprises a certificate authority service that creates for a process on the first device a process certificate certifying one or more capabilities of the process on the first device. The process certificate is presented to the second device. Upon validating the process certificate using the device certificate, the second device permits the process on the first device to have on the second device one or more of the verified certified capabilities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: BlackBerry Limited
    Inventors: Michael Stephen Brown, David Francis Tapuska
  • Patent number: 9015809
    Abstract: A first device establishes a connection with a second device and attempts access, via the connection to an enterprise server of an enterprise. The first device may have a number of security perimeters, ones of which are allowed to use various communications proxies provided by the second device. If the first device and the second device are associated with a same common enterprise, an enterprise perimeter of the first device may be enabled to access the enterprise using an enterprise proxy of the second device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: BlackBerry Limited
    Inventors: Michael Stephen Brown, Herbert Anthony Little, Graham Russell, David Francis Tapuska
  • Publication number: 20140359293
    Abstract: A system, methods and devices for the secure notification of an identity in a communications network. The methods include sending or receiving a communication including a hash of a certificate of a device to notify or detect the presence of the device in a network. Each certificate is associated with an identity which is excluded from the communication of the hash of the certificate. The received hash is compared to hashes of certificates stored in an electronic device to determine an identity. The identity may represent an electronic device or a user of the electronic device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 12, 2014
    Publication date: December 4, 2014
    Inventors: Michael Stephen BROWN, David Francis TAPUSKA
  • Patent number: 8904170
    Abstract: A system and method for searching and retrieving certificates, which may be used in the processing of encoded messages. In one embodiment, a certificate synchronization application is programmed to perform certificate searches by querying one or more certificate servers for all of the certificates on those certificate servers. If all of the certificates on a certificate server cannot be successfully retrieved using a single search query, due to a search quota on the certificate server being exceeded for example, the search is re-performed through multiple queries, each corresponding to a narrower subsearch. Embodiments described herein enable large amounts of certificates to be automatically searched for and retrieved from certificate servers, thereby minimizing the need for users to manually search for individual certificates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: BlackBerry Limited
    Inventors: Michael Stephen Brown, Neil Patrick Adams, David Francis Tapuska, Herbert Anthony Little